The Gazette and other Colorado media have been reporting multiple accounts of armed gangs violently taking over several apartment complexes in Aurora.

Credible allegations — arising from investigations by Aurora police as well as a major law firm — include that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua was responsible for the severe beating last year of a consultant for a property management company; the stabbing of a resident at another complex for “refusing to pay rent to the gang” and threatening to kill a property manager.

This week, Gazette columnist Jimmy Sengenberger pointed to a scheme in which the gang seems to be shaking down the mostly immigrant tenants for rent money — essentially hijacking the apartments out from under their owners and stepping in by force as the new landlord.

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That was reaffirmed by a Gazette news report Tuesday, citing the law firm’s investigation, that Tren de Aragua at one point allegedly had taken over Aurora’s Whispering Pines apartment complex and sought to collect up to half of the rent from tenants, elbowing out the legitimate landlord. The gang, according to the law firm’s findings, “operated in the open,” patrolled the area and “terrorized the community.”

It’s an alarming, galling, national-news-making series of developments — and it’s outright terrifying for the victimized tenants.

So, you’d think it warrants a higher level of concern from the city’s sitting congressman than, “Nothing to see here, folks.”

Of course, 6th Congressional District Democratic U.S. Rep. Jason Crow didn’t put it that way, and he no doubt will take umbrage at our characterization. But it’s what Crow’s response — blasted out on social media — amounted to the other day. And it was very disappointing:

“Those exaggerating and distorting the Aurora gang issue need to stop. Their misrepresentations are not based on reality,” Crow posted to X.

“I’ve met and spoken with federal law enforcement and local leaders: the gang issues are being grossly exaggerated and misrepresented. Current gang activity is consistent with trends across Colorado, and law enforcement is dealing with it. In fact, violent crime is going down in the metro area.”

Crow’s retort seems to have been prompted by calls for action from the Republican side of the aisle in Congress. As The Gazette also reported this week, a group of GOP House members, including Colorado’s three Republicans in Congress, signed onto a letter to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and other officials demanding answers.

The letter cites illegal immigration as a factor and in part pins blame on sanctuary policies, like those of Aurora’s neighbor Denver.

Crow and others in his party might perceive the overall issue as one that tends to unite Republicans while dividing Democrats to the GOP’s advantage. And he might well suspect Republicans in Congress of fanning the flames for that very reason.

But that doesn’t make the chilling developments in Aurora any less real — which especially ought to concern him considering the victims are among Crow’s most vulnerable constituents. Now is when they need their congressman going to bat for them.

While Crow might think members of the rival party are politicizing the matter, isn’t waving off such serious concerns to limit political fallout — politicizing it, as well?

Same goes for his fellow Democrat, Gov. Jared Polis, who early on appeared to dismiss the matter. His spokesperson at one point downplayed the concerns as the product of one Aurora City Council member’s imagination.

One reason The Gazette editorial board endorsed Crow’s reelection bid in 2022 was his apparent willingness to rise above partisan politics. This is one time when Crow has a responsibility to push partisanship to the back burner — and help stop the reign of terror facing some of the residents of his district.

Denver Gazette Editorial Board